You Will Regret This Too, Danzo

For various reasons, my first clash with the Masked Man had not gone very well.

But there had been decent progress on another front.

After employing all kinds of methods, the Security Division had finally uncovered some leads.

The few men they had captured were indeed not Konoha ninjas, but Rogue Ninjas from other villages.

They often worked with bandits, making a living robbing and looting.

Later, a mysterious person had approached them, given them a large sum of money, and helped them sneak into Konoha.

As for what they had to do, it was simple enough: spread rumors about Naruto and the Uchiha.

Since their employer had been willing to pay handsomely, they had readily agreed.

They had never expected Eiji to be even more like a bandit than the bandits themselves. He had branded them as spies and dragged them straight into the Security Division, where they had been beaten half to death.

After that, they still confessed.

When the Uchiha learned that the matter was connected to the Root Organization, they nearly laughed themselves to death.

Get him!

The next day, they had compiled the information and sent their representative, Eiji, to deliver it to the Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, judging from their statements, the person who hired them was Ryoma."

Eiji fell silent after saying this.

Then he saw a little old man whose face had turned red with rage.

Hiruzen had held the Hokage's position for decades. In his youth, he had also been Senju Tobirama's student, and Tobirama had possessed no limits when it came to ruthless methods.

Naturally, Hiruzen had learned plenty of unsavory techniques.

For example, establishing the Root Organization and having Danzo handle certain matters in his own way.

That was precisely why he had quickly thought of a dangerous possibility.

Those men had been hired by Ryoma to infiltrate Konoha. Then who had hired Ryoma?

Danzo.

Ryoma only obeyed Danzo's orders.

Later, Ryoma had been killed, and the murderer had been the Masked Man.

So the question was, why had the Masked Man killed Ryoma?

And who had given the Masked Man his orders?

Hiruzen believed it was still Danzo.

There were three reasons.

Hiruzen knew that Danzo had always believed only the dead could keep secrets.

As the Security Division continued investigating, Ryoma's actions would sooner or later be exposed. Killing him had therefore been the simplest solution.

The second reason was that the Masked Man had been able to infiltrate Konoha without anyone noticing. There had to have been a traitor providing information and helping him evade Konoha's defenses.

The person capable of doing that was also Danzo.

The third reason was the Wood Style Ninjutsu used by the Masked Man.

Hiruzen recalled that, many years ago, Danzo had conducted the Wood Style Experiment with his authorization.

Later, Hiruzen had decided that the experiment was too cruel and ordered that it be discontinued.

But...

Was it possible that Danzo, like Orochimaru, had continued researching it in secret?

Hiruzen thought it was highly likely.

There was nothing his old friend wouldn't do.

With all these possibilities piling up, Hiruzen became increasingly certain that Danzo was hiding something.

At the same time, he felt a chill running down his back.

Would Danzo do something even more dangerous?

There was also another question: where had the intruder's Sharingan come from?

Was he a member of the Uchiha, or someone who had seized the Sharingan by some method?

Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke. "Go back for now."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

After Eiji left, Hiruzen sent for Danzo.

"Danzo, tell me honestly. How did Ryoma die?"

Danzo's heart tightened. "Hiruzen, what do you mean?"

He found Hiruzen's question baffling.

It was true that he had wanted Ryoma dead.

But before he could do anything, someone else had already killed Ryoma.

There was no rule in Konoha's code saying that merely wishing someone dead was punishable, was there?

Facing Danzo's refusal to admit anything, Hiruzen sighed silently.

As expected, Danzo was an expert at playing dumb.

He flung the scroll into Danzo's face. "Read it yourself! The Security Division has investigated everything thoroughly!"

At the mention of the Security Division, Danzo's heart sank.

When he saw the name "Aburame Ryoma" among those involved, sweat broke out across his forehead.

Even so, Danzo quickly regained his composure.

"Hiruzen, can the Security Division's word be trusted? The ones investigating this were the Uchiha. This is nothing but slander against Konoha's leadership."

"I think they should be stripped of their authority to enforce the law."

"Today they dare slander others. Tomorrow they will dare to rebel!"

Hiruzen slammed his palm on the desk in fury. "You bastard! Danzo, do you know what you're saying?"

"Tell me the truth. Did you send someone to kill Ryoma to silence him?"

Danzo could hardly believe his ears.

He had always been the one framing others. How had he ended up being framed today?

"Ryoma was my subordinate! How could I possibly do such a thing?"

"Then how do you explain that man being able to use Wood Style?"

"So anyone who can use Wood Style was sent by me? Orochimaru, your beloved student, also participated in the experiment with me!"

Hearing Orochimaru's name, Hiruzen sobered considerably.

"Danzo, Orochimaru is indeed a suspect, but you are even more suspicious!"

Danzo was dumbfounded.

He could not understand why Hiruzen would rather believe a Rogue Ninja from Konoha than his hardworking Hokage Assistant.

"Hiruzen, Orochimaru escaped because of your hesitation back then. Are you still going to cover for him now?"

Hiruzen was suddenly rendered speechless.

He knew there was some truth to what Danzo said.

Wait. Hiruzen suddenly realized that the conversation had gone off track.

He had been talking about the serious crime of Danzo sending people to spread rumors in the village, frame the Uchiha, and damage the relationship between the two sides.

"I will continue investigating Ryoma's death, but you cannot escape responsibility for framing the Uchiha!"

"I didn't do it!"

"Although there is no direct evidence proving your involvement, Ryoma was ultimately your subordinate. You are highly suspect."

Hiruzen tapped his fingers against the desk.

"You are relieved of your positions as head of the Root Organization and Hokage Assistant for three months. Reflect on your actions at home, Shimura Danzō."

Danzo clenched his teeth and glared coldly at Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen, how dare you..."

Hiruzen waved his hand. "Get out."

Danzo clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them.

He walked slowly out of the Hokage Building, then suddenly stopped.

Danzo regretted it. He regretted it deeply.

If he had been braver back then, perhaps Lord Tobirama would have appointed him Hokage.

If he had become Hokage, those evil Uchiha would have been wiped out long ago.

No, not just the Uchiha.

He might have accomplished even more, mastering the power of the tailed beasts, Wood Style, and the Sharingan.

The entire Shinobi World would have belonged to Konoha.

But now, he could only hide every day in a lightless environment, becoming an obscure root.

Monkey, meanwhile, got to enjoy the admiration of the masses.

"I refuse to accept this!"

Danzo shouted silently in his heart.

The reason he did not dare say it aloud was that he was afraid Hiruzen would hear him.

Realizing this made Danzo even angrier.

Damn it. Had Hiruzen really left him with such a deep psychological shadow?

At that thought, Danzo turned and glanced at the Hokage Building.

"One day, this place will belong to me."